The Perfection of the World
by quietauthor13
Summary: Inuyasha, an aspiring musician, heads to California with his adoptive brother Shippo and his friend and manager Miroku. But things don't go as planned as ghosts from the past pop up, and a new face turns all of their lives upside down. Yaoi! Boyxboy! AU!
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.**_

The room was dark save for the dim bulb hanging above the small, round dining table. On its smooth wooden surface sat a boy with long, silky silver locks and rare dog ears to match. His mother would have hated that if she were still there.

But those days were long in the past. Now instead he sat there dressed in a baggy red sweatshirt and equally baggy gray sweatpants, his surroundings falling apart before him as water dripped from multiple holes in the ceiling and rodents and insects creeping through the bare pantries. The boy clutched an old cell phone in his clawed hand. He spoke into the mouthpiece in his typical harsh voice.

"Look, Miroku," he hissed into the phone, careful to be as quiet as possible. "I got other things to worry about. I can't just pack up all my shit and leave."

"Hear me out," said the smooth voice on the other end of the phone. Despite being faced with the snarling tones of the dog-boy, he—Miroku—remained calm and sounded carefree. "I know that you're in a tough spot right now, but that doesn't mean you can't come down with me to California. This guy is offering good pay, and what better place to find a start than down in the Sunny State?"

Scowling, the white-haired boy replied, deadpan, "How about New York or Tennessee? Ya know? Where all the famous people are."

"Heh…" Static crackled through the phone as the boy imagined his friend fidgeting, trying to think out a legitimate argument. Good luck to him with that. "Okay, look, I can't promise you this is _the_ best, but it's the best offer people like us can get right now. C'mon, Inuyasha. Didn't your dad leave you that money for this kind of situation?"

At that, Inuyasha's heart gave a painful squeeze. That money was the only thing his father was able to give him before his untimely death. He wanted to use it for something that would matter, something his parents would be proud of. Unbidden, a few of his mother's final words came to mind: "I want my boy to go to college, okay?" He recalled her weakening smile as she clutched at his hand. "I want you boys to have a better life."

"Sorry, Miroku, but I just can't." He snapped the words curtly into the phone to hide his heavy heart.

"But—"

The phone clicked softly as Inuyasha's clawed thumb pressed the end call button. With a great sigh, his head sagged forward, his hands grasping at his head in desperation. That was the last decision that he wanted to make at this point in his life. He needed that money to make sure the house didn't fall apart, to put himself through some community college, and to take care of—

"Inuyasha?"

In a flash of silver hair, Inuyasha spun at the sound of his name. He peered into the shadows to see a small figure dressed in long green pajamas dotted with fluffy white cartoon sheep, their woolen shapes crudely sewn into the fabric. A large, bushy brown tail stuck up stiffly behind him as he looked the dog-boy up and down anxiously with large eyes. Brown hair, stuffed into a tiny ponytail, drooped over a forehead to his round, childish face.

"What're ya doing up, Shippo?" the silver-haired boy asked, no longer bothering to keep his voice hushed. "It's gotta be three in the morning!"

"What were you talking to Miroku about?" the little fox boy inquired as though Inuyasha hadn't asked him a question.

"Er…" Inuyasha hesitated. What could he tell his adoptive brother that would be believable? He couldn't tell him that he was being offered to move out of state. No, that wouldn't work. "Just some crazy new gig. Ya know how he gets with this kinda thing. I turned him down though so don't worry about it.

With a wave of his hand, he wordlessly dismissed the younger boy to go back to bed. However, when he turned around and peered into the shadowy doorway, Shippo still stood there, watching him expectantly.

Shaking his head, he murmured, "How much did you hear?"

Quietly padding over on his tiny fox paws, the little kit came over to the table, climbed clumsily up one of the matching wooden chairs, and plopped down on the tabletop with his back pressed snugly against his brother's. The elderly brother felt the younger as he breathed in a steady rhythm. It calmed him to no end knowing that he was not alone, but it also worried him to be reminded of the fragile life he was now responsible for.

"Where did Miroku want us to go?" the little boy asked simply.

With an exasperated growl, Inuyasha replied, "California. But it ain't happening."

"Why not?"

"We got other stuff to do."

"Like what?"

"School for you and work for me."

"Why?"

"Heh." The dog-boy nudged Shippo from behind playfully. "That's a lot of questions you've got there tonight."

For a brief moment, there was pure silence. Not even the old house dared creak or settle as the two brothers sat there quietly, one thinking, one waiting nervously for the other to speak.

Finally, Shippo broke the uneasy silence by saying, "Let's go."

"What?" Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. They prickled and twisted around in the direction of the adolescent voice behind him.

"You've been trying to find a big break, right?" Twisting his head around to peer at his brother, Shippo gave a lopsided frown as he tried to sort through things. "Why don't you use the money papa left you to go for it now?"

The silver-haired brother gasped, surprised at his sibling's outspokenness. His words practically mirrored his wanna-be-manager friend's, and he came to the exact same conclusion.

"Shippo, look, Mom wanted me to go to school so I could take care of you." He spoke slowly, measuring his words carefully for once. "On top of that, I have to fix up this shack before it falls down on our heads, and there's no telling how much that's gonna cost."

Not missing a beat, Shippo retorted, "But when you get discovered, you'll have lots of money to do whatever you want with."

"There's no guarantee I'll _be _discovered!" the dog-boy snapped, frustrated. He whipped around entirely, knocking Shippo forward onto his hands and knees on the table, and slammed a clawed hand down on the wooden surface so hard it groaned in desperate protest. "What then, huh?" he snarled. "What if I don't get discovered? The money will be gone! You'll have no food, and I won't have gone to school to get more money! Did you think about that?"

Despite the roughness shown him by his brother, the kit merely pouted at his brother as he rose from his position. "No, I didn't."

"Well, surprise!" Inuyasha once again turned his back on the boy, folding his arms across his chest as he did. "The world doesn't always work out perfectly like ya want it to."

Before he finished his snarling phrase, he felt a small pressure on the small of his back and tiny arms wrap around his waist as far as they could reach. He gasped as Shippo squeezed around his stomach tightly, nuzzling his face into his stiff back.

"I believe in you, though, Inuyasha," the kit sniffled into his shirt. "I know you can do it if you just try. I just know it! You're a great musician, and you just need a chance!" His voice grew louder and louder as the silver-haired brother felt the back of his sweatshirt become damp with hot tears. "Miroku's just trying to help you by giving you that chance, and I know that you'll regret it if you don't go for it now! Inuyasha, I know you'll get discovered! I know it!"

"Shippo!"

Said boy shrank back, loosening his grip at the harsh tones directed at him. He knew what was coming even before he felt the familiar _bonk_ atop his skull. It throbbed where Inuyasha had dropped his fist down, but Shippo had learned to accept it as his brother's way of becoming emotional. It gave him hope.

He waited for his brother to say something—anything. He peered up at the still frame expectantly, though the silver-haired boy did not turn around. It seemed like forever as the boy thought it over, silence permeating the air as agonizing as the wails of a small child. The kit held his breathe.

"Shippo," the elder brother began softly.

The boy perked his ears up at the sound of his name, his tail puffing out in nervousness. "Yeah, Inuyasha?"

Much to Shippo's shock, the same violent hand that gave him a goose egg just a moment ago came down to gently rest atop his pounding head—an endearing gesture, especially for the dog-boy.

Without turning, Inuyasha continued: "Mom left me in charge of you. She said so herself on that last day, and that's what I've done. Dad didn't ever think something like this would happen when he left me that money, but if he had, he'd be telling me the same things that Mom did." He paused for a moment, drawing the kit into his back again comfortingly. "_You_ are my main priority right now, Shippo. I have to make sure you'll be okay before I even think of anything else."

"But I will be okay," Shippo protested confidently. "Inuyasha…please, can we go?"

"Shippo—"

"I'll babysit!" the kit said suddenly, pulling away from Inuyasha. "I'll make a lemonade stand! I can rake leaves and walk dogs and watch pets…oh!"

Finally, the silver-haired brother turned around to fully take in his little brother. His eyes were bloodshot from his short cry, and his hair was an unruly mess from where he'd snuggled into his back, static from the fuzzy sweatshirt making it stand on end in random places.

His heart gave another agonizing pang. He couldn't put this little kit at risk.

But, just as soon as that thought entered Inuyasha's mind, Shippo reached into his pajama pants' pocket and pulled out a tiny copper coin. Attached to it was a thin silver chain, appearing delicate but beautiful just the same.

"Take my lucky penny!" Shippo said with a beaming smile on his face. "Momma said that it would bring luck to whoever wore it, but the chain is too big for me to wear yet. You can borrow it until then! You're sure to catch your big break with thi—"

His words were cut off as he was scooped into strong arms. As though fearing the brother before him would disappear any moment, Inuyasha pressed the kit tightly to his chest, resting his head on his brother's tiny shoulder. Shippo embraced his elder brother back tightly, knowing that hugs like this were a rare experience since Momma…since Momma…

"We'll find a way to put you through college too, big brother," Shippo said, a hint of tears creeping back into his trembling voice. He had to hold them back, though. He had to be strong for his brother like Momma was. "We'll make Momma proud. I know we will. She'll look down from heaven at us and smile, if it's the last thing I do."

"You know," the elder continued in hushed tones, "that it won't be easy, right?"

Hearing that made the kit perk up, and, from his position wrapped in his brother's arms, he wriggled with excitement. "Does that mean we're going?"

"Well…" Inuyasha thought about it for a moment longer, weighing the risks one final time. But, if his brother was so adamant about it, so determined that they would be okay—well, there was no way to say no without crushing the little boy's heart at this rate.

"It's up to you," he finally sighed. "Do you think we can do it?"

~SIISSIISSIISSIIS~

Three days later, the two brothers rode in an ancient, run-down once-black now rusted Lincoln convertible. What little they had that was worth taking with them was stuffed in the back seat with the snoring fox kit, though some of it a friend of Miroku's had already driven to their destination, California. The dog-boy rode in the passenger seat in front of his little brother, staring blankly out the window, trying not to doze off.

"You know, I _did_ take the wheel so you could sleep for a bit," said the dark-haired boy behind the wheel. His matching feline tail swished to the side agitatedly. "Staying awake means I took the wheel for nothing."

"Eh?" Inuyasha twisted to glance at his panther-friend in confusion. "Sorry, I just don't wanna wake the kid." He nodded to the seat behind him where Shippo sat buckled up with his tail wrapped around him like a blanket.

"How would you wake him up if you're asleep?" Miroku shot him a sideways glance before devoting his attention back to the vacant highway before him. The sun glared bright, only now rising above the horizon, and forced the panther to squint through the windshield. He flipped his sunglasses down from his forehead to better see his ever changing surroundings. They'd only left two hours ago, but now, at six in the morning, they were already crossing over the border of Wisconsin. The plants, the animals, the people, even the air was beginning to change.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku waved one hand in front of the dog-boy's face to snap him out of his reverie. He'd yet to answer his question, choosing instead to stare idly out at the highway before them.

"Wha—oh." Inuyasha shook his head, silver strands tossing this way and that. "Forget I said anything." Without another word, he slouched in his worn gray seat, his head resting against the bug spattered glass of the passenger-side window.

"Hmm…" Miroku knew the canine well enough to know that something wasn't right, but he found it was better to wait it out and allow the stubborn boy to tell him in his own good time.

So, instead of pondering it, he fiddled with the dial of the old radio, careful not to break it off completely. Worn old vehicle, had to be at least twenty years old, if not older, and it showed as the voices on the radio came in through a haze of static and white noise no matter what station he turned it to.

"Damned thing." He fiddled with the knob for several minutes, making sure that it was quiet enough to not wake Shippo or keep Inuyasha awake, but if anything, the quality of the stations only became continually worse. Minutes passed by, Inuyasha now surely asleep, and, heavy sleeper the canine was, he dared raise his voice a bit more as he cursed the prehistoric device. "Damn. Work! Work! C'mon, damn it."

But then another sound reached his ears. A harsh, deep, wet cough emanated from Inuyasha beside him. He turned his shaded eyes over to cast a quick glance at his friend and found, much to his surprise, that his form had begun trembling with the sheer force of his coughing. Behind him, Miroku could hear the kit begin to stir, whimpering, his eyes flickering behind his eyelids at the unsavory noise.

"Inuyasha." The panther-boy reached over, grasping his friend by the shoulder. "Inuyasha, you're waking Shippo." He shook the boy's shoulder in an attempt to wake him. "Inuyasha, wake up!"

"Mi…Miroku." The silver-haired boy's hoarse voice could finally be heard over the vicious hacking as he curled in on himself, forming a tight ball around his seatbelt. "Pull over…now."

While normally Miroku would have scolded him on his manners, he chose instead to oblige. The canine was clearly in pain, and the panther-boy found himself cringing at some of the wet sounds being made as he eased the vehicle onto the shoulder.

Inuyasha didn't waste any time. He rushed out the door almost before the car came to a stop and proceeded to kneel in the green grass just off the road, his shoulders still shaking with the force of his coughing fit.

"Hey."

Jumping in his seat, Miroku jerked his eyes away from the awful scene just outside the car to find a groggy Shippo in the back seat rubbing bleary eyes. The kit yawned, his tail unfurling, and his mouth opened wide in an enormous yawn.

"Oh, Shippo." The feline driver lifted his sunglasses back onto his forehead, still facing the back seat. "You're awake."

"Where's Inuyasha?" the child demanded. He dazedly stared at the empty seat in front of him, certain that's where his brother had been just a minute ago.

Though getting softer, the dog-boy's coughs were still audible with the rusted passenger door left wide open in his haste. Quickly as subtlety would allow, Miroku reached back up to turn up the classical rock station that played in the background. It was still half static, but it would at least cover up the ugly sounds the kit's brother was making.

He put a false smile on his face, hiding his anxiety well in front of the child. _What is the matter with him?_ the feline wondered about his friend. But to Shippo, he only said, "Inuyasha just got a bad pig-in-a-blanket this morning. He's outside getting it all out of his system, but…I wouldn't recommend taking a peek. It's not a pretty sight."

"Oh." With another equally huge yawn, the kit began to snuggle back into the seat, oblivious to the pain his brother was currently in just a few feet from him. His tail curled snugly around him again in a makeshift bed. "I hope he's okay."

Miroku smiled, relieved, as the boy shut his eyes and instantly drifted back to sleep. "I'm sure he will be." With a troubled frown and a readjustment of his sunglasses so his eyes were once again protected from the glare of the sun, the feline added, "At least, I hope he will be."

"Will ya turn that down? You're gonna wake him up."

Startled again, the Miroku looked up in time to see his friend clamber back into his seat and shut the door as silently as he could. "What happened?" he whispered, hastily turning down the radio.

"I dunno." Inuyasha tucked his hands behind his head, trying to appear nonchalant, but the rough undertone in his voice gave him away easily to his childhood friend turned manager. "A cough."

Reluctantly, Miroku eased the Lincoln out onto the highway again, ignoring the awful puttering noises it made as he accelerated. "That looked like a pretty bad cough."

"Yeah, what of it?"

For a moment, Miroku didn't reply. He hid his scowl behind his sunglasses as best he could.

"C'mon," Inuyasha grunted tauntingly. "You ain't about to tell me you're gettin' worried over a little cough, are ya?"

"Inuyasha…"

"If I wanted someone to nag me and worry, I'd have gotten a girlfriend already."

The feline rolled his eyes, well aware of the way most girls stared at him. A wolfman was difficult to come by these days, especially a strong one.

Still, it was not enough to deter Miroku as the canine had hoped. "How long has this been happening?"

"What?"

"Don't play games. You were scared to go to sleep. If this hadn't happened before, you wouldn't have had that fear of waking Shippo." Uncharacteristically serious, the panther gripped the wheel tighter and, in a tone laden with sternness, hissed, "How long has it been going on, Inuyasha, and why is it only when you sleep?"

Ever stubborn, Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest and forced his friend to sit through a moment of suspenseful silence before giving his answer: "I can fight off the fits before they start when I'm awake, but there ain't much I can do when I'm asleep, not for the past month."

"_Month_?" Miroku had to pause and take a deep breath before he tensed and swerved off the road. "Have you gone to see a doctor about this?"

The only reply given was a grunt and a dismissive shrug.

"Inuyasha, please, you need to see a doctor. This isn't normal."

"Miroku, stop being such a—"

"No. I hate to do this but…" The panther-boy gave a melodramatic pause. "I won't let you set foot in California until you've promised me you'll see a doctor once we're settled. If not for me, then for Shippo, at least."

Guilt froze Inuyasha's words in his throat. The implications this could have on his brother hadn't entered his mind, but now that they were planted, they were impossible to ignore. What if Shippo found out? What if he started panicking? What if he started having nightmare again just like when mom was so sick?

"Fine," he sighed with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "I'll see a doc. Happy?"

With a sly smirk, Miroku answered, "Winning a verbal battle against one so stubborn as you?"

"Can it with the Shakespeare shit, will ya? It gives me a headache."

Miroku chuckled under his breath. This would be an interesting move, no doubt about it.

~SIISSIISSIISSIIS~

The ramshackle house stood tucked away behind a large swamp of weeds growing as high as his knees. Paint had chipped off the sides of the house until weathered bits of blackening wood were blatantly visible, and the remainder of the color was an undistinguishable gray mess splattered in random patches here and there. The roof that he imagined must have been sturdy and well-made at one point in its existence was patched over with boards held down by jagged, rusty nails poking out hazardously like gnarled fingers pointed wretchedly at the side. Nearly all of the windows had been at least partially boarded up, and tiny shards of glass could be seen glimmering wickedly in the tall grass below the frames. The door—well it happened to, thankfully, be intact, though he didn't know how long that would last.

He stood there, hefty boxes in hand, waiting for Shippo and Miroku to come down the short walkway—what was left of it—with the remainder of their things and stand beside him in the fenceless yard. Looking at what would soon be their new house, he couldn't help but second guess his decision to come down here in the first place. Even their old home didn't look so weather-beaten and rundown. Hell, the houses next to them—shacks really they were so small—held more appeal than the thing that stared him down now.

"So where is—whoa!" Miroku, his arms carrying the last of the boxes, stood just behind Inuyasha, his normally sleek tail puffed out in surprise. "Um…it's, uh, really something, isn't it?"

"Miroku, what the hell did you get us into?" Inuyasha spun around so that his nose was inches away from his friend.

Miroku shrank back, fearful of the dog-boy's intentions. Attempting to placate him, he offered another of his infamous smiles up, saying as soothingly as he could manage, "Now, I know it looks bad, but—"

"It's fucking awful!" Inuyasha hissed through gritted teeth, mindful of his little brother likely still dragging his bag out to them. "Do you really expect me to let my brother stay in a place like—"

"Inuyasha! Look at this tree! Isn't it great?"

Both boys snapped their heads up to an especially tall palm tree that was overlooking the house. It was so tall that, to glimpse the leaves at the top, Inuyasha had to crane his neck backwards. That was when he saw Shippo, his tiny claws digging deep into the trunk to anchor himself high above. He kicked a stray leaf that was nearly as big as he was, giggling at the sound it made, almost like rubber the leaf was so thick.

"Shippo, what are you doing?" Inuyasha bellowed upwards. "Do you wanna get yourself killed?"

As though he didn't hear a word, the kit slid down the trunk, his claws raking down the bark as he descended. When he hit the ground, he scampered off to the backyard, his green pack strapped to his back.

"I can't wait to see what other cool things are around here!" he shouted, running off to explore his new playground.

"Er…" All the silver-haired canine could do was stare dumbfounded at his little brother's enthusiastic response. Did he _not_ see the house?

"Ha ha!"

Inuyasha shot Miroku a sideways glance as he strode past him, a real smile on the feline's face.

"It seems like your brother that you're so worried about will be just fine here," he said happily, opening the creaking door with his foot. "I don't think we have anything to worry about once we start fixing the place up a little bit."

And with that, he disappeared inside, still laughing to himself.

All Inuyasha could do was shake his head. The people around him were slowly losing what was left of their minds—that was for sure. He sighed, not seeing any way out of the situation. They'd driven for over a day to be standing there in the hot afternoon sun. They couldn't exactly pack up everything and leave.

He flexed his hand anxiously around the box he carried, and a dry scraping caught his attention. He glanced down at his palm, curious. On his palm he found tiny spatters of red, once crimson, now a dried rust color. He remembered his coughing fit then. Hurriedly he rushed inside, hoping to find a sink in secret. It wouldn't be good if his roommate caught wind of this, and it would be disastrous if Shippo saw it.

But surely it couldn't be _that_. They'd just washed their hands of that entire situation.

The feel of cold copper against his collarbone reminded him of the mother that had left Shippo such a lucky charm.

That was all over, right?

**Hello there! Alright, since I know, while I myself like to infer things rather than outright say them, not everyone else like this method. The advantage to having fanfictions instead of actual novels or mangas: you can do both. This is a modern world but where people have different races judging by skin color **_**and**_** what kind of animal they most resemble or act like instinctually. I mean, I couldn't just take away Inuyasha's puppy ears or Shippo's cute little fox tail! =T.T= That would make me sad. Anyways, I know it was a really long introductory chapter, and it didn't explain everything. I also know that, for readers of my other fanfiction that may be viewing this, I said I would have a GrayxLoke fanfiction coming soon. I couldn't resist though! Things will be explained in due time, and I will have the other fanfiction out shortly…I hope. Until then, read, review, and by all means, enjoy! =^.^=**

**P.S. For all those that don't know, the kitty face is my thing. If you don't like that…skip the author's notes I suppose. I'm just here to share the works of my imagination!**


	2. Chaotic Shoreline

**Guess what? I'm up here! Okay, I noted a couple of mistakes in the last chapter—a bit too late I might add. The main one of which is the fact that I called Inuyasha a "wolfman". I momentarily forgot that he's a dog and would slice and dice me in two seconds flat for lumping him in with Kouga. So sorry to the readers out there! But back to the **_**edited **_**story.**

"Damnit, Miroku! I thought you said this guy wanted a musician, not a singer!" The dog-boy stomped angrily in the hot sand of the beach, bits of it flying into the rips in his faded jeans. He readjusted his instrument case with a huff, careful not to drop the slender, worn, black leather case onto the sweltering ground below as it rubbed against his bare back. His shirt lay in the garbage, doused in raw fish juice by a clumsy cook during his meeting with his would-be employer. His features were twisted into an expression of barely contained rage as he glared at his also topless failure of a manager, his shirt resting in the same garbage can.

Said failure shot him a warming smile in the hopes that he would keep his head a few moments longer. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha," he said sincerely, his feet sinking into a deep pocket of white sand. The waves crooned a ways to their left, sounding almost apologetic themselves for luring the boys out so far. "She said that she wanted a musical performer. I didn't realize she meant choral. It was an honest mistake."

"An honest mistake?" the silver-haired boy spluttered furiously.

"What's a mistake?"

Inuyasha whipped around to see Shippo, fitted in only his little blue swimming trunks, his hair down and windblown, trotting towards him happily. In his arms he carried various shells of blue and pink and bright, bright white, some large, some so small it was a wonder the boy had spotted them half-buried along the beach. He stared at his two elders inquisitively as he padded up to them.

"Er…nothing," Miroku stated hastily. His hand shot to the back of his head, rubbing his hair anxiously. "It was just something with that place we were at just now, that's all."

The kit cocked his head to the side, his tail perking and swaying back and forth as he continued to stare at his brother and friend intently. "You mean the place with that really scary bear-woman?"

The elder brother opened his mouth to tell Shippo that he needn't concern himself with adult things, but before he could, Miroku's sly voice cut him off.

"Yes, the one with the scary bear-woman." He chuckled down at the kit, rubbing his head fondly as he explained, "You see, it seems there was a mix up with the job we had lined up down here, and now we'll have to seek employment elsewhere."

"Miroku!" The panther's explanation earned him a hard punch to the arm and an even more infuriated grimace from the dog-boy. Daring him to say more, the canine bared his sharp fangs at the feline in an unspoken threat.

But the aggressive act went unnoticed by Shippo who scampered ahead at the sight of a large conch poking out of the sand. He called back over his shoulder, "Have you been wearing my lucky penny?"

Caught off guard by his brother's out of the blue question, Inuyasha drew his gaze away from his friend, his features softening as he took in the heartwarming sight of his brother digging joyfully in the sand to reach his oceanic prize. His hand slapped against his well muscled chest, feeling along his pectorals until he felt the familiar chill of the copper coin his little brother spoke of.

"Yeah, I haven't taken it off since we got to the Shack," he answered, using the nickname they had all agreed now belonged to their new abode. That had been three days ago. "What about it?"

"Grr!" The kit grunted as he attempted to upturn the giant conch from its sandy bed, his hands slipping on the slick shell. "If you…grr…haven't had luck yet…c'mon…you'll have it soon."

"Shippo," Inuyasha began, pinching the bridge of his nose. Honestly, how could his brother be so childish at a time like this? He needed a job! If he couldn't find a gig…

"It's the truth!" the kit protested. He suddenly switched tactics, choosing instead to scrape away the remainder of the sand surrounding his prize. As he flung sand into the air, digging in an animalistic way characteristic to canine races, he continued, "Every time I wore that, it gave me good luck. There was one time I forgot I had a test in my first period math class, and I forgot to study for it, and I woke up late, too. But I grabbed the penny before I ran to the bus and took the test with it on, and I made a 100!"

Miroku, finding the kit's antics amusing, simply shook his head and gave a quiet chuckle. He always found such optimism a breath of fresh air in a day and age of such gloom and devastation.

But Inuyasha rolled his eyes, showing that he was not so amused.

"That's enough outta you, runt," he growled. He strode over to his adoptive brother who was still busily tunneling down into the hot sand, more of the conch poking through. "It's time to go home, and—wait a minute! You told me you studied for that test like crazy! What the hell?"

Suddenly, Shippo's determined mining halted, his tail puffing up behind him. An air of nervousness radiated from him as he realized he'd said just a bit too much.

Poking his head up above the shell that was turning out to be nearly as large as him, he managed to stutter out, "W-well…I still got a hundred."

Redness flooded the dog-boy's cheeks. His eyes flashed dangerously, making Shippo shrink back into the small indent he'd made beside the conch. Miroku stepped to the side, wary of his friend's predictable temper, as the boy growled warningly under his breath.

Bracing for the worst, Shippo peered out from behind the shell just enough that his face was visible. He forced a pout past his frightened expression, all too well acquainted with his brother's temper, as well. "I still got a good grade, didn't I? That's what counts."

At that, a vein popped out of Inuyasha's forehead, and he darted forward, his heels kicking sand into Miroku's face, his instrument case lying forgotten in the sand. Before the others could react, the silver-haired boy snatched Shippo up by the tail so that the kit hung suspended, upside-down, in front of his elder brother's seething face.

Miroku watched helplessly once his eyes were free of sand. He knew there would be no reasoning with the temperamental canine after this morning's failure. But he couldn't let this continue. As he glanced out of the corner of his eye, he noted that people sunning themselves along the shore were beginning to stare.

Wait! Maybe…

He leaned over so that the dangling kit could see him over Inuyasha's shoulder. The panther hurriedly balled both his hands into fists and rubbed them beneath his eyes, staring the little boy dead in the eyes, willing him to get the message, and fast.

Thankfully, it only took a split second of the kit staring at him wide-eyed and confused before he understood. It was time to use an age old maneuver, one that just couldn't fail.

"B-but…I didn't do—" Shippo whimpered.

"Can it!" Inuyasha clocked his fist on top of his brother's head, leaving behind a nice, throbbing red mark that would surely turn into a goose egg soon.

Eyes now watering, face scrunching up, Shippo did the only thing that might still save his skin.

"WAH!"

Hot, crocodile tears fell from the boy's eyes while Inuyasha appeared taken aback by the sudden outburst. All the while, Miroku stood back, attempting to hide his satisfied smile.

"Put a sock in it, will ya?" the silver-haired boy hissed to his still captive brother. "People are looking this way. Hey, don't think you're gonna get out of this!"

Sure enough, nearly every passerby on the beach was beginning to stare. Some furrowed their brows in anger, others cooing sympathetically at Shippo's endless wails. A few of the smaller children hid behind their sand castles, tucking their own tails beneath them in fear of the apparent bully just a few feet away.

"He's bein'…he's bein' mean to me! WAH!" The tiny actor waved his arms about frantically, making a show of attempted escape.

"Miroku," Inuyasha whispered nervously over his shoulder, catching the eye of a particularly peeved looking boar couple glaring at him from the shade of their umbrella. "Will ya help me out here?"

But the panther chose to hide his smile instead, finding great humor in his best friend's plight.

Inuyasha's mind went blank. He couldn't just let Shippo get away with lying, but if he kept this up, he'd definitely find trouble for himself. It looked as though it might come in the shape of a fist if the glares directed at him were anything to go by.

_Well, this day's just gone all to hell, hasn't it?_ the canine grumbled inwardly to himself.

"Hey, you!"

At the sound of the feminine voice, Inuyasha stiffened nervously. He was about to have to explain himself to some random mother threatening to call the police, he just knew it.

Clearing his throat, he twisted around and began, "Listen, ma'am, I can explain everythi—"

His eyes flew wide at what he saw: a girl, long, black hair clinging to her back with the weight of the seawater she, by the looks of the red boogie board she clutched beneath her arm, just came out of. She stood there, hand on hip in a bright red one-piece to match her board. Her dark eyes held a dangerous, warning glint as she glanced to the grip he still had on his brother's tail and back to him. If this girl was a mother, she must've had fun in high school. She looked younger than him.

"Well?" she snapped at him expectantly. "What explanation could you possibly have for terrorizing an innocent child?"

"Er…" Inuyasha finally noticed that Shippo's wailing had turned into quiet sniffling, leaving only the distant call of gulls and the ocean to break the uneasy silence hovering over the four of them. It was, to say the least, unnerving with this girl's furious glare pinning him in place.

Suddenly, the girl pointed one clawed finger at the suspended kit. "Put him down!"

Miroku, standing just behind the girl—whom he found was quite lovely if not a bit young—cringed. Giving Inuyasha orders was like trying to freeze lava. It took a certain someone…

"I said _put him down_!"

_Thwack!_

Inuyasha released his grip on Shippo, letting the kit fall to the soft sand as he covered his own head where the girl's boogie board had struck.

Astonished, the panther gawked at the wildfire girl. Lava? This someone could freeze _hell_ with enough motivation!

But that, of course, didn't mean the canine would take such abuse without protest.

"What the hell, bitch?" he exclaimed, cradling his head. "What'd you do that for? Eek!"

He cringed as the girl hoisted the board threateningly, glaring daggers at the boy. "Do _not_ use that language around little kids, especially not on my beach," she warned.

"Alright, alright," the canine finally submitted, holding his hands out to ward off any attack that might come. "Sheesh, just put that thing away, and I'll explain everything."

"Hmph." Unwillingly, the girl tucked the board back under her arm, her hand shooting back to her hip.

Her gaze softening, she looked down to the sniffling fox kit. In a much warmer tone, she asked gently, "Hey, little guy, what's your name?"

Ignoring Inuyasha's eye roll, the kit wiped the tears from his face, grateful his ruse worked so well and got revenge for him in the process. "I'm Shippo."

"Shippo, huh?" She took in his fox ears and tail. Confused, she bit her bottom lip, twisting this way and that in search of something.

Before Inuyasha had the chance to bark impatiently at the newcomer, Miroku plastered a smile on his face, for once not fake, and asked politely, "If you don't mind, my asking, what is it you're looking for?"

Much to the panther's surprise, when she turned around, her anger was fully directed at him, a lethal fire burning behind her eyes. "And just what were _you_ doing while poor Shippo was being bullied by a strange…" She turned her eyes to Inuyasha, eyeing him from head to toe suspiciously. "Canine of some sort."

At that, Inuyasha fought back the urge to growl. He already felt slight pain in his chest from whatever had been wrong with him lately. He didn't need a migraine to go along with it, particularly not one brought on with this girl's method.

Instead, he chose to snippily demand, "Just what are you supposed to be then, huh?" He sniffed the air before her, not caring that it went against common courtesy. "You smell like some da…like some wolf"

"That's because I _am_ a wolf!" the girl snapped, spinning back around to face him. "Don't sniff at me, either! It's rude." She took a deep breath to calm herself, brushing her hair back to reveal pointed ears. Her black, fluffy tail swung from side to side as she proved to the boys her animalistic identity.

Sensing another fight was about to break out, Shippo ran up to the wolf-girl's leg and hugged it tightly. As he nuzzled his face into her knee, he said cheerily, "Thank you for saving me, miss."

Smiling down at the kit, she replied just as happily, "Call me Kagome. And it's no problem. That's what a lifeguard is here for."

At the risk of this Kagome girl's temper flaring again, Miroku said, "You're the lifeguard here?"

"Hm?" She turned just enough to see the feline, but this time, her smile did not waver. It seemed as though Shippo had effectively calmed her—for the moment at least. "I am. I just finished my shift for the day, though. But that's not what's important right now."

She knelt down and gingerly picked up Shippo, cradling him in her arms caringly. "Shippo," she began. "Can you help me find your parents?"

The group was silent. People, abandoning the scene after they witnessed the lifeguard's interference, yelled and hooted and cried out joyfully in the background, but none of it felt like it belonged there with the suddenly dark mood hovering over the boys.

Taking in Shippo's crestfallen expression, Kagome held him close. "Don't worry. I'm sure they couldn't have gotten far." She rubbed his back, misreading the reasons behind the sudden lack of joy in the kit's face.

"You won't find them."

Her head snapped back up to take in Inuyasha's features. Rather than angry now he appeared…detached, sorrowful, and weary all at once. His shoulders sagged with the weight of his words.

"What do you mean?" she asked. She imagined awful scenarios, hoping fervently each was wrong.

"I'm his brother," the subdued boy stated. "I'm the closest you're gonna get."

Kagome shook her head, bearing a horrified expression. Hoarsely, she said, "That can't be true. He's a fox, and you're not."

Baring his fangs, Inuyasha growled back, "Don't tell me who my brother is and isn't. Mom and dad adopted him right before…" He trailed off, the anger in his voice giving way to pain.

"Before daddy's wreck," Shippo finished, this time fighting back real tears. He looked up at the she-wolf with wet, shining eyes. "Can I please go to big brother Inuyasha now?"

Shocked, Kagome numbly walked forward and handed the kit over to the boy who only moments ago had made her anger erupt. Now, seeing the dog-boy hold his adoptive brother close to his chest, rubbing small circles into his tiny back to stop Shippo's unshed tears, she herself wanted to comfort the affectionate canine, as well.

"Inuyasha." Miroku's whisper held all the pain he felt for his friends. Of all the people who knew the mourning the two brothers were still going through, Miroku knew the best. Countless nights he'd spent awake on the phone until dawn with Inuyasha after he'd caught Shippo crying in his sleep again. He'd brought over home cooked meals when his family of six could afford to spare a little. Miroku didn't trust Inuyasha after he found out the boy had starved himself for three days just to ensure Shippo got enough to eat. And even before that, taking Shippo home while Inuyasha stayed at the hospital by his mother's side through the night all the way up until she drew her last breath.

Before he could succumb to his own tumultuous feelings, Miroku forced himself out of his reverie. He strode past the stunned girl to his friends who he held so dear. When the elder brother looked up, he made sure to give him a hopeful smile, as genuine as he could manage, and say cheerily, "Hey, let's go clear our heads a little. I can go look for another gig tonight when the real deals open up."

"Yeah," Inuyasha said quietly. "Yeah, I think that'd be…what is it Shippo?"

Both boys peered down at the kit who was tugging fervently on his brother's long, silver bangs.

"Brother, I'm hungry," he whimpered, releasing the strands of hair. He gave the canine a wide-eyed, pleading look. "Can we get something to eat? Please?"

"Uh…" The elder brother patted his jeans pocket, then the other as he shifted Shippo from one arm to the other. Both were empty. "Miroku, I left my wallet at the Shack. Can you spot me a ten? I swear I'll pay ya back when we get home."

"Sorry." Miroku turned both his front pockets inside out to show how pitifully empty they were. His smile shrank a hair as he said, "I'm afraid I'm in the same boat."

"Damn." Inuyasha slapped his hand down against his leg hard. He began to hand the kit over to his friend, and his ears twitched in irritation. "Take Shippo then. I'll run to the Shack and grab some—"

"Wait!"

All eyes suddenly turned to the she-wolf standing there with her free hand finally dangling at her side. They all had to admit that she was pretty when she wasn't mad. She had a kind face and eyes that practically danced with sympathy. Still, though, she didn't seem at all daunted by the scowling canine, a feat that showed just how strong willed she was.

"You don't have to go to all that trouble," she said calmly. "There's a little seafood diner about a mile along the beach."

"Yeah, so?" The canine was getting impatient, and having to hold his brother out as though he was Rafiki on Pride Rock did nothing to help his ever dwindling mood.

Miroku held his breath as he saw a vein on her temple throb menacingly. _Please don't screw this up,_ he prayed. _Oh, please, please, please._

Much to the feline's relief, the girl simply sighed and said, "If you don't mind walking, I'll treat you guys to some lunch."

In answer, Inuyasha's stomach growled loud enough to make a passing poodle shrink behind its owner and whine. Red tinged his cheeks as he set Shippo down on the sand. Miroku spied him with a wary eye.

"Hey, Inuyasha," he said sickeningly sweet.

The canine looked to him with puppy eyes in the hopes that whatever he was about to ask would go away, but…

"Did you eat dinner last night like you said you would after Shippo and I went to bed?"

Though he tried his best to hide his guilt, his silver ears flattened back against his head. "Well, ya see…"

"Inuyasha!" Shippo snapped. "You promised that you would! How could you do something so irresponsible?"

"Okay, okay, let's all just start heading down," Kagome interjected. Things were rapidly spinning out of control. She silently prayed that things wouldn't constantly be like this because she had a feeling in her gut she wouldn't be rid of the trio anytime soon.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, she added teasingly, "Besides, you _do_ owe me an explanation."

~SIISSIISSIISSIIS~

An hour later, the mismatched group sat in a brightly lit diner called Totosai's Singing Swordfish. Vibrantly painted carvings of fish and sharks adorned the walls, one wall even strewn with nets in a Picasso-like rendition of a fishing scene. Lights hung low from the ceiling, the windows allowed for plentiful light to be dispersed throughout the entire room, and the servers brightened up their tables' days with smiles and enthusiastic service. The atmosphere was unlike anything the boys had ever felt before, both bustling with its large crowds of tourists and laidback with its surfers lounging in their swim suits and trunks and small families dotting the booths and tables here and there. It was, for lack of a better term, cozy.

"Shippo, it's not okay to lie," Kagome scolded the little fox sitting across the dark wooden table from her.

"I know," he sighed. The boy picked at his asparagus glumly, moving them around on his plate to create the appearance that he'd eaten more. "I don't normally lie."

Sitting beside him, Inuyasha huffed through a mouthful of fried fish, "Oh, yeah? Then whatcha doin' with your stalks?"

"Huh?" The kit looked down to his food, his greens scattered this way and that so obviously. His face reddening with guilt, he turned his wide-eyed gaze back up to the wolf before him, and he shrank back into his chair. She looked menacing with that mischievous glint in her dark eyes and that toxically green shark bolted into the wall behind her. "I-I'm sorry, Ms. Higurashi. It's just that I don't like asparagus. P-please don't make me eat it…"

His whimpering voice trailed off into nothingness as Kagome tossed a strand of raven hair over her shoulder with a flick of her fingers. "Call me Kagome," she said, throwing him a smile. "After hearing your whole story, I think we're pretty well past the formalities already."

With a nod of his head, Shippo gulped, anxious to know what this girl had up her sleeve.

To Kagome's side, Miroku chuckled knowingly. Having three younger siblings, he understood full well the young girl's direction and intent.

"Well, it's not as though anyone can _make_ you eat it, Shippo," the panther said, a wily smile adorning his face.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the kit smiled warmly up at the girl before him, grateful that Miroku was, in his mind, backing him. However, his smiled ebbed away as he saw the same look in the she-wolf's eyes as he sometimes did in Inuyasha's when his brother knew something that he could use against him.

"What is it, Ms. Hi—Kagome?" His fluffy fox tail twitched this way and that curiously, anxiously.

Inuyasha leaned in, also intrigued. It was always a fight to get his brother to eat most vegetables. If there was some secret technique this girl had that he'd yet to try…

"Well, Miroku's right," Kagome sighed in a very over exaggerated manner. "I really can't force you to do anything. But…" Whipping her head first to the left, then to the right to "make sure the coast was clear", she leaned over the table to be closer to the fox kit's quivering ears. "I can promise you that if you don't finish them you won't get any of Totosai's famous chocolate pie."

At that, Shippo's jaw dropped almost comically. Immediately, he began shoveling the stalks into his mouth, bits of vegetable dotting the corners of his mouth and his food-filled cheeks.

Staring wide-eyed at the kit was his elder brother. "How'd you do that?" he said incredulously. Ignoring Shippo's glare, he added, "It takes me half of damn dinner to get 'im to _touch_ his veggies!"

"Don't use that language in front of children," she said, eyebrows twitching in aggravation. Turning back to her own plate of crab legs and salad, she smiled warmly, saying, "You just gotta speak their language. Which reminds me…" She pointed her fork at the silver haired boy, tail swishing curiously beneath her chair. "Why exactly did you think Mrs. Ijiwaru wanted a musician? She hates instrumentalists."

Suddenly, a shiver ran down Miroku's back, making his tail puff out and his ears stand at full attention. He rubbed his arms in an attempt to return some semblance of warmth to his chilled flesh. He mentally cursed the cook that had soiled his shirt before, but then it registered that he had actually been too _hot_ in his shirt when he'd still had it.

So he turned to Inuyasha to inquire about the coldness of the diner, but the words became caught in his throat.

A menacing aura poured off his friend, almost palpable it was so volatile, and his eyes were daggers that wished for nothing less than to mutilate him until he was unrecognizable.

Kagome, observing the entire scene, wisely chose to stay out of it. Instead, she cracked a crab leg in half and said, "I see."

"Kagome! Kagome!"

She lowered her gaze to see Shippo, his plate so clean you could hardly tell there was ever any food on it to begin with. The kit beamed at her, his eyes wide and pleading. "I finished," he continued happily.

Beaming right back, she grabbed the plate and set it to the side of the table. "You know what that means." Her voice took on a teasing singsong quality.

Though she didn't think it was possible, his broad grin widened even further, and the pleading in his eyes was replaced with excitement.

With a small chuckle, she flagged down an elderly gentleman passing by on his way to the kitchen. He wore a full diner ensemble: worn brown shirt with white pants, stained apron, small angular hat that covered what little hair he had atop his head. His pointed ears twitched as his large eyes took in the young girl sitting at the table, his mood brightening a bit.

"Well, well, Ms. Kagome," he said, nearing the table. He wiped his hand on his apron before offering it up to the teenage girl for a familiar handshake. "I haven't seen you since last week."

"Hey, Totosai," she replied, accepting the withered hand. "Sorry. I've been busy at the beach. First week of Summer vacation, and all. They immediately put me on the morning shift at the beach."

"Yes, I know how Mr. Tsukuyomaru likes to have you there when he knows little children will be swimming." Turning to examine the young kitsune, he added, "Speaking of children, who might this little fellow be?" Hearing the squabbling at the opposite end of the table, the old man glanced over and saw Inuyasha grilling Miroku about what a "dumbass" he had been. "And just what's wrong with those two?" he asked, his smile disappearing.

"This is Shippo." The she-wolf followed his line of sight before waving the duo off as though it was already natural to her. "_That_ I'm sorry for. Inuyasha, the one yelling, is mad at Miroku for giving him bad information about a job. Apparently, Inuyasha's trying to become a musician, but they weren't aware of Mrs. Ijiwaru's preferences when they heard she wanted a performer."

Totosai winced, understanding entirely. That old hag was a hard woman to please indeed.

"Shippo, here, was wanting to try some of your famous chocolate pie. My treat."

At Kagome's words, Shippo smiled happily at her, then Totosai, then to her again as the man continued to stare at his brother bickering with his own wannabe manager.

"Say, what's the big deal?" the wide-eyed man inquired, still staring at the ugly scene. "It's just one job. Give it another month. He'll find another offer."

Before his new friend could respond, the kit answered in a matter-of-fact way, "We just moved down from Wisconsin. We really need the money, because my brother's and Miroku's savings won't last for too much longer."

"Oh?" Though he was taken aback by the idea that the kit and the angry canine were brothers, he pushed is aside so he could press further. "Are your parents not supportive of his choice to become a musician?"

Shippo's face fell, leaving Totosai confused until he managed to utter, "I never met daddy. Momma died last year."

While Kagome attempted to comfort the now somber boy, Totosai frowned deeply. It was worse than he had originally thought.

He blinked at the angry canine's show of fury towards his friend. _Well,_ he thought, _I guess that settles it, then._

Without preamble, he strode over to the two who'd yet to notice him. "Hey, are you just gonna sit there bickering, or are you gonna acknowledge that I exist?"

The angry words immediately ceased. Inuyasha, ears twitching, face contorted to show his utter confusion and surprise, said brilliantly, "Eh?"

"Now then, that little fox down there just told me you're searching for a job and need one pretty quick." He shot his thumb over his shoulder towards Shippo. "It just so happens that I'm the owner of this business, and I have an opening."

At first, his words did not register with any of the four at the table. Kagome was the first to catch on, her eyes widening until they virtually exceeded cartoonish proportions. Miroku was next as his jaw dropped. Shippo followed suit, a happy smile reappearing on his face.

"I told you the lucky penny would work," Shippo said cheerfully, bouncing in his seat.

Finally, Inuyasha comprehended the old man's words. His ears stood on end, his breath caught in his throat. "Wait, are you serious, gramps?"

"Show some respect, boy," Totosai snapped. _I don't really need another worker, but…_ "The job is yours if you can prove yourself. You might be Ms. Kagome's friend, but that doesn't mean that you'll get this handed to you willy-nilly."

Always the more humble of the two, Miroku proceeded to bow his head to the gracious man. "Thank you so much for this!"

_Yeah, you're only saying that because he fixed _your_ screw up,_ the dog-boy grumbled inwardly, ignoring that he'd already been clumped in with the she-wolf. But to Totosai, he said, breathless with anticipation and joy, "Just tell me what I gotta do!"

The old man nodded his head approvingly at this response, his hat wobbling atop his head. "Come in tomorrow morning at five to be fitted for a uniform. The breakfast rush comes in an hour later. You'll be done at three that afternoon. Don't be late." Turning on his heels, he winked at Shippo who was still smiling and bouncing. "Now, I've got a pie that I need to prepare."

With that, he left the four in a giddy daze, all but Inuyasha wearing a bright grin. The silver haired boy was in too much of a daze to do anything but twitch his ears in surprise, staring at where Totosai had been just a moment ago.

He vaguely heard Kagome say happily, "Good ol' Totosai. He's always willing to help out anyone that needs it. Well, as long as he feels they're good people."

The three began chatting again at the table, finishing what was left on their plates or, in Shippo's case, eagerly awaiting dessert.

But Inuyasha still sat there in a daze, now staring blankly down at the cooling plate in front of him. The only difference in his expression was a small, grateful smile that had managed to creep up on him and soften his usually angry features.

_We're gonna be alright. Tomorrow starts work, then I go to the doctor and have him fix me up. We're really gonna be alright, mom._

**Hello again! Alright, I know this is even longer than the last chapter and a bit boring at times, but I needed this to introduce other key elements later on. I didn't get many review sadly, but I ask for those mainly for critiques or things that people want to keep going. That said, to any reading this story, don't worry, it will continue. =^.^= I love writing too much to just toss a story to the side. Please read, review, and enjoy!**

**P.S. Can anyone figure out what kind of instrument Inuyasha plays based on the case?**


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